Strange symptoms on the 1.8Turbo

[wixyw]

Whilst on the motorway last night, cruising along in top, the wife accelerated to pass a slow moving car, there was a short squealing noise from under the bonnet, the engine cut out with a jolt, then picked up again once the accelerator was eased off, this was followed by a strange smell ! Any idea as to what it may be ? It used to do a a similar cut out thing a couple of years ago, which was eventually put down to a sticking waste gate valve but only under very hard acceleration.

Phil

[Yorkshire GOC]

If the squealing sound you describe is like what i call a police siren and you lost power then i would be looking at the Turbo itself:shrug: Give her a good rev to see if the exhaust has a bluish tinge - if so this points to a failing turbo.
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[wixyw]

Thanks for that ! Will check it out in the morning.

Phil

[Avulon]

Or slipping Aux belt?

[COLVERT]

Or slipping Aux belt?

But would that make the engine cut out ??---:shrug:

[wixyw]

It cuts out with a real jolt, then, when you ease off it's back in. Put your foot down again and it cuts out !

[Sheraton]

It cuts out with a real jolt, then, when you ease off it's back in. Put your foot down again and it cuts out !


I'm not sure about the "Squealing Noise" or "Strange Smell" mentioned in your initial post, however - this sounds like fuel cut - if not as a result of Overboost relating to Boost Control issues (faulty Solenoid, Hoses not connected or sticking Wastegate)

Could it be Fuel Filter Seperation ? :shrug:




Paul.

[COLVERT]

As the post above or crank sensor problems.

[T-Cut]

Whilst on the motorway last night, cruising along in top, the wife accelerated to pass a slow moving car, there was a short squealing noise from under the bonnet, the engine cut out with a jolt, then picked up again once the accelerator was eased off, this was followed by a strange smell!
By 'cut out' do you mean it lost power or it effectively switched off? Travelling at speed with the engine in gear, it would act as a heavy brake if it had stopped firing. The car would slow down quite quickly.
Could the strange smell be from an overheated clutch? If it stopped firing at motorway speed and was then restarted on the clutch, I imagine that would create a lot of friction heat/smoke, which has a quite unusual smell.

Any idea as to what it may be ? It used to do a a similar cut out thing a couple of years ago, which was eventually put down to a sticking waste gate valve but only under very hard acceleration.Turbocharger issues have been highlighted and need checking out. It could also be fuel starvation during high power demand. The Fuel Filter Syndrome (FFS) has also been suggested and could be involved if the car is later than 2001. Is it? (Your profile says you have a diesel ??)

TC

[wixyw]

Will look into all the suggestions, thanks, much appreciated.

To describe the cutting out, you press the throttle, the car picks up, it starts to accelerate then just cuts out for a second or two. It is quite severe, you can feel a jolt, then it just picks up again. but by that time you have lost revs and momentum. No lights come on the dash, but for a second or so the engine is dead.

The car is a 2003 K series 1.8T tourer. I have a diesel, just never got around to adding the tourer on !

A friend has plugged it into his garage computer and it has come up with two faults, a misfire and a weak mixture, if this throws any more light on the problem.

Phil

[wixyw]

The waste gate problem was fixed a couple of years ago, and has been okay since, though I suppose it is possible it might of stuck again.

Regarding suggested Turbo check, when it is revved up, the smoke is white to grey, not black, and does not really smell of oil. The engine does not seem to be using much oil.

Thinking about the smell, it maybe the clutch, it is that sort of smell, gets to the back of your nose a bit !

Phil

[T-Cut]

A smoking clutch smells different from any of the usual smells we're familiar with around cars. When I first experienced it, I thought what the Hell's that? I suppose a glowing brake disc would elicit a similar odour from the pads.

What year is the car?

TC

[wixyw]

It's a 2003 model.

Phil

[T-Cut]

It's a 2003 model.


Then to eliminate Fuel Filter Syndrome, I suggest you remove the left side hatch in the floor under the rear seat. This gives access to the fuel filter module. Remove the large steel locking ring so the module can be lifted a few inches. Visually check it to see if a Fabled Orange Clip is present. If not, fit one.


https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/imagehosting/38624bcae225e35c7.jpg


Image linked from: https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=58868


TC

[Comfortably Numb]

Will look into all the suggestions, thanks, much appreciated.

To describe the cutting out, you press the throttle, the car picks up, it starts to accelerate then just cuts out for a second or two. It is quite severe, you can feel a jolt, then it just picks up again. but by that time you have lost revs and momentum. No lights come on the dash, but for a second or so the engine is dead.

The car is a 2003 K series 1.8T tourer. I have a diesel, just never got around to adding the tourer on !

A friend has plugged it into his garage computer and it has come up with two faults, a misfire and a weak mixture, if this throws any more light on the problem.Phil
Not sure how relevant this may be, as mine is a CDT, but shortly after I first bought it, it kept cutting out in this way, and would only drive at low throttle openings in low gears, but might suddenly recover and drive perfectly - until it happened again, and again. After much reading on here, I tried disconnecting the MAF sensor - problem gone, so I drove it like that until the new sensor arrived.
I think clutch slip is unlikely to be the cause of the smell - you would notice the revs rising without proportionate speed increase, or alternatively, revs only dropping slowly as you let out the clutch when changing up. The mechanic I asked to diagnose my juddering clutch took over 30seconds of revving the engine while heel-toeing the brake as he let the clutch slowly out before burning smells and smoke appeared. (The handbrake wouldn't hold it). When I changed the clutch a few weeks later, having driven the car another 2,000 miles, the friction material was so thin, the rivet heads had been worn off, and the friction material was loose, yet the car was still capable of motorway+ speeds, as long as you didn't accelerate too quickly.

[wixyw]

Took it down to my local garage, as it was booked in for the MOT, and they had a look, and found the wastegate was seized solid, they have managed to free it off and got it working again, so hopefully this might be the problem, or at least part of it.

Phil

[Sheraton]

Took it down to my local garage, as it was booked in for the MOT, and they had a look, and found the wastegate was seized solid, they have managed to free it off and got it working again, so hopefully this might be the problem, or at least part of it.

Phil



:cool: If the Wastegate was seized in the closed position - this would cause Overboosting and Fuel Cut - there would be a considerable enough increase in Power output from the Engine prior to fuel cut - potentially enough to slip the clutch briefly :shrug: - this could explain the Squealing Noise and the Smell.


Paul.


*to add - the Increase in Boost pressure also makes a more audible... i'd say whistle...but maybe squeal ? - just prior to reaching fuel cut

[wixyw]

Hi Paul, yep, I think that explains things nicely. The wastegate was stuck in a closed position, so it seems that was the problem, causing the overboost ! Maybe a whistle describes the noise better !

Drove it home last night, it's only 5 miles, but it seemed fine, lots of power and it now revs without cutting out.

It even passed the MOT with no advisories for a change !

Thanks again for everyone's help and ideas.

Phil